I have made a habit of watching world cinema and I have come to the realization that the film industry in developing countries has done very well in low-budget films with social themes, which are a reflection of the concerns and struggles different people face in their societies. My guess is they will continue making powerful low-budget films with such themes. But the problem is that people do not go to the cinema to watch what is already happening in their own lives. They go to the cinema to see the unseen, They go to cinema to see movies with VFX, explosions, and homicide. They go to the cinema to see movies that challenge their imagination or at least create laughter for themselves and their companions. Why is developing countries' cinema so weak in other branches of cinema aside from social dramas? What can they do for their country's cinema to progress? I think the answer lies within the budget and the wisdom of spending it (on VFX for example).
As a film director myself, I know that for a film director, having a proper budget and a powerful story play the most important parts in successful film production. That's if you are a good film director and you really know what you are doing. Because investors, whether government or private, are not willing to invest more than a certain amount on films in developing countries, which is the result of them having no industry education, filmmakers put their efforts into whether finding and buying or writing a powerful story/screenplay. Whereas if they had the budget to spend on the VFX for example, they would have been able to make films in different genres, attract more viewers to the silver screen, and developed their country's cinema accordingly What many investors/producers of the developing countries do not know is that VFX is not used to create unbelievable action scenes in a film only. It can be a life, time, and money-saving tool. In many cases, the use of visual effects REDUCES the cost of producing a film. Avoiding life and financial risks is another advantage of using visual effects. In many films that require explosions, and of course, these explosions are dangerous, the use of visual effects prevents the occurrence of accidents and unfortunate events. Right?
never thought of this. Lot's of corruption in some countries too... unfortunately.
Hi Sion Llewelyn Kelly-Evans. Yeah, corruption too. You are right.
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I kind of disagree to this, not completely but partially.
And I don't see any country or their people in the context of "Developed, Developing, Poor". Or say political identity theories of Left, Right or Liberal kind crap or even any kind of labeling systems which many countries in West, European society have been selfsuffocating tangling onto and became proponents of it since ages to categorize people and their visions or ideas or lifestyle or work styles or cultures even using Democracy or Communism or whatever theories influenced by Greek, French, Victorian times just to look at people in a certain boxed way.
Back in school day as kid, my teacher teaching geography would say to all of us in class, "Strap your belts(We would just wrap our bags around) and look through the window, you all are flying over Africa, you can see Wild Elephants, Lion, GIraffe so close by ? Amazing natural homes Africans built, can you all kids see that?
And we all go bonkers just imagining, remembering every geography country and their rich people, food, their world so fascinating. So my world view and people is bit not into what I am forced to see now through many "yellow lens"!
Now, nothing against any country people, but this perspection doesn't work for me. I see that version resonates a bit of low IQ way to categorize humans in general and we are 21st century and can't let go of seeing humans beyond self created boundaries
Why I said this is, Humans I believe have an immense potential to come up with some of the best work unknown to the larger population baffling everyone's intelligence and brilliance and unbound to any country, race, gender, religion or nonreligion whatever it is breaking up every shakles we all get tangled into to feel amazed by their work. So be it any human in Iran or even in Namibia or India or China or Ukraine or Russia during this troubled times or Peru or Nepal anywhere we don't know who is working on something which is unimaginably brilliant and might create things, films or any art form which is electric for many artists or generations to lookforward to..
There is one such example was Satyajit Ray, He wrote script based on a novel which might startle your interest. Now most American even till today don't want to accept this fact but I have shared this before too. It's a fact, we can't disapprove his work, its recorded.
Read this
https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/was-steven-spielb...
So I believe creativity, intelligence, talent, hard skill earned with years of practice is such it can happen anywhere to anyone and it just changes the whole dynamics of that people's perception, country too beyond unimaginable.
And so it's not just like oh we need VFX only to cut the cost or do film in this budget only as such, there are many ways yet unknown how many made films so far which can be challenged. We just got to be open eyes about it is what I feel. I would want to even innovate the cameras we have, bring back old reel and give a new 3D digitized version of it, future is so unknown and that's beauty to imagine and that imagination is so powerful it can happen to anyone in any part of world is what I believe in. Just like in Mathematics we found another genius like Nikhil Srivastava or like still the miracle unknown how he got math was, Srinivas Ramanujan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Mn4ID8iM0
For example, Shivkar Bapuji Talpade an Indian was the first to invent the airplane even before Wright brothers did, and many even before them were trying it too. But world hardly knows about Shivkar Bapuji Talpade you see...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivkar_Bapuji_Talpade
Similarly are the case of Artists, filmmakers writers too. I'm sure similar there are great Artists, Filmmakers, Writers all around the world working may be in Africa or Asia or India or America or Antartica who knows?
@Ben I’m kind of on the fence. Sure, there are huge international fan bases for hi tech action films that cost several million or more but VFX would not enhance “every” film. There have been a lot of successful low budget films apart from ones based on social issues including horror genre, fantasy, romance and noir. @Rohit great point about“humans.” Artists themselves are the game changers by coming up with unique new stories and highlighting genres with innovative twists. I neither agree nor disagree with @Ben More VFX maybe right for Action/Sci Fi studios with epoch built in fan bases “Expecting” to be blown away by latest wizardry visuals but these tools are not crucial for all audiences. Neither Choosing a “Universal Theme” for low budget or “Latest VFX ” for high budget is a guaranteed pre cursor to a good film as end result. Most people remember characters in Star Wars rather than cutting edge at the time visuals, equally if a film has weak characters audience may remember a simple car chase. Story and memorable characters are king.
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Debbie Croysdale Thanks. I mean no disrespect. I do understand the geopolitical situation of many countries making it hard to create films which requires expensive or atleast bare minimum essentials tools. And I truly know why the situation in Iran or in India or any country have. And I could have pointed the real issue but it's upto to people to see what flaws their own countries push them to be in rather than someone like me or anyone else telling them that what's the issue is.
To just give a hint: There are serious socio-political situations around the world which makes humans tangle to it, unable to see beyond one's own beliefs, knowledge or learning too and it can't be fixed by inflow of MONEY. It only starts from introspection of where we are going wrong, and how we see our own people. Most people I have observed never introspect, like even I myself sometimes find it hard to be critical, introspect my thoughts actions too. As it's scary to see the truth.
I see we humans are just like any other animal or more precisely we humans are just like our soil. Soil in every country only varies based on how many factors exploits the soil, changing the organic biochemical nature to build the ecosystem of existing and future plants animals humans growing living there.
Similarly are humans too. If any poor or developing or so called developed country perspective is unable to make beyond socio-drama films or Scifi or Magical realism or Expressionism driven films either using VFX or any , it's not because they don't have money or people. It's their own soil, their human nature, brains in that regions unable to see the flaws within or things which is happening to their society or minds or limitations of beliefs are not favouring that acceptance of influx of ideas/thoughts/dreams/visions they get or may not be getting too. And its not money which can make them see things beyond their own capabiltiies.
For example, I run a small whatsapp, telegram and few other groups. In that many Indie filmmakers, writers are there, everyone have their own expertise and things which we know and many times we can share discuss. Now if I don't know psychology or biology and someone is explaining me about mirroring nature or how Celerebal palsy happens or even simple evolution theories, now if I'm rejecting anything what I'm getting information just because I don't want to accept the facts, then nothing I can learn or enrich my thoughts because I'm too stiff for observing grasping. So it shows in films or art we make to visualize things beyond our own inner limitations is what I meant. That's the reason I said HUMANS got to see each other as Humans and not through any lens of social structures or race or skin or labels. This way the transfer of knowledge is mutual and more easy to even dream better,bigger, thinking out of the box is easier and how to make the dream come reality.
For example, check this short film ‘Anukul’ by Sujoy Ghosh . And it's based on Satyajit Ray’s short story. And you can think of what can be done even without any VFX. The story was written in 1976... way before Terminators, Transformers and iRobot. So was ET movie which was made too in Hollywood which was Satyajit Ray's story which he was never given due credit.. So people got to be open in that way I feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mqIgdae5I
@Rohit Thanks for the share. The 70’s script was not far from the truth of now, robots taking over human’s jobs in industry, medical procedures and even retail sector has mechanical packers. The “finger/thumb print” identification too is epoch along with using eye retina. True, humans can often set their own limitations and censor themselves. I trained under 6 directors, even ones with past success in box office film advocated different ways to work magic with the basic tools first. There is no “holy grail” latest equipment to ensure a cool film and no story should be killed in the bud by an imagined insecurity of some “magic IT to obtain first”. However don’t totally disagree @Ben I get the point. Box office as it was is diminishing as streaming/TV platforms boom with ever growing fan bases for hi tech action, each studio competing for the next Holy Cow audience moment. Yet equally there will always be a demand for non action films. Horses for courses!
Debbie Croysdale All the Streaming Platforms be it one jumps on to Apple's or Netflix or even say Mubi or any new distribution network all this will eventually saturate every films ever made as generic.
And human interest for stories and films will become bland, tasteless, useless, numb feeling as we have so many choices, and it reaches a tipping point wherein we have less emotions to whatever being served, be one buys it on OTT or downloads it openly, deliberately leaked online as big monopolies want to cut the competitoin ruining all human story experience.
Human cognition will just lose it's value for films, stories ever written or made with the way OTTs and Tech businessess are approaching it strongly from business point of view wrapped with a false sense of artistic element.
So is why they are trying hard to make it work somehow by building AI driven GPT-3 model based system, expecting each one of us to follow some UML structures of ACT or Formula or so on, so that future filmmakers can "USE IT" but assuming they can solve many difficult problems as well as make huge money. https://www.gwern.net/GPT-3And if you notice, it's crazy narcissistically obsesed people involved in these projects having no idea of humanity or humanitarian subjects or no value for ART. And they don't truly get this that actually stories don't solve any problems or films made with these approaches aren't truly authentic or even artistic in any scale. I might trigger you too that even Transmedia, and recent NFTs added to this mad race will add more chaos to it in coming years.
It's like they are not only complicating the whole ecosystem, but adding more to the complexity. All eggs in one basket kind busienss equation.
If you have observed it closely none of the Oscars nominations or Berlinale films in recent times were any good movies even to any artistic merits. It's way below the lowest quality as per story, and even just all shines but no core. They are trying so hard to bringing investors, equity driven producers on board to promote it so much as they could from every IT companies, Financial sectors driven by Goldman Sachs or TReuters reports to somehow make it work like a factory made "cake", eventually ripping off the whole entertainment industry of the world.
Simple you know, we don't watch movies because there is an APPLE or NETLIX Original logo on our TVs or Big Screens or how big EPIC Superhero is to save the world but everyone are heading there itself like carrots hanging.
IMO Future of Films, new age film makers will be driven by those audience who are looking for specific filmmakers only for their stories alone which isn't in any OTTs or theater release as these being tangiable entities which humans will discard, avoid at all cost and films will be more inclined towards intangiable assets which audience just wants to collect them cherish them like old cigar or a good wine or Italian Cheese or Indian art work.
It's like once you were buying fresh food in farmers market, then later we got Super Malls, Hypermalls wherein we buy everything but nothing is truly what we wanted and everything we bought is practically no use for us.
So now back to ground zero where farmers sell on specific locations and we walk there and buy it forgeting everything ever created outside the system because all you want to do is "WALK there, as you know you get good vegetables or meat anyway there". Like Ben was saying about CINEMA Experience, that will be lost very soon, may be 10-15 years or even less.
@Rohit True, it’s a tad scary Non Fungible Tokens are sweeping Transmedia and Metaverse with buyers even purchasing “Not so real estate” in the form of homes and even mansions in bijoux communities that only exist on screen. I suppose growth of these platforms mirrors ever advancing VFX technology in the sense of More and More Tools being Available yet Less and Less Real Story. However I don’t think “Emotional/Psychological” films will be phased out. Even major studios still turn out historical films originally written by quill pen or thrillers, rom coms etc by more modern or current authors. I don’t deny box office has/is still changing but although these “universal moment /unique way of life” films may one day become “Niche” there will always be artists with a burning passion to tell a particular story. @Ben I think supply of VFX to low budget productions would only work if script, cast, crew, performance and story are already running well in unison. Also changing the genre of the original concept may eradicate any unique spin that made a project viable and interesting in the first place but possibly a “hybrid genre” may work better. EG A story about a struggling family who now have the aliens and the loan sharks to deal with.
@Debbie Metaverse is complete messed up beast waiting for global diminution. Transmedia currently don't have any individual platform to bank on, so it just ends up being only a marketing idea leaning on to existing platforms with every hands in everything, only works for few big studio films. It doesn't work practically for all films on OTTs as their model catastrophically drop film's shelf life.
Though transmedia can work for longer format TV series for new filmmakers but still got so many issues without a platform to support it. NFT is just another fad soon to be like bitcoin ponzi schemes trying to keep afloat waiting just another financial regulations to get their teeths on, no matter how many of them is bought, be Eluny Moosky and their fan boys join, promote. I don't see bright side there. Not being luddite, just seeing the impractical side of these, like one of those flamethrowers.
Coming to VFX, there will be huge improvement in reduction of work from postproduction/editing due to digital camera revolutioning a lot more than we can imagine now and shooting with those might covering up the major requirements in later stages.. It's a matter of time to get the greenscreens down and let motion graphics take control with it's performance built on ARM machines and reducing a lot of computations speed, completely blurring the lines from gaming and filmmaking alike. It's already reaching there I feel.
Like that Gemini Man movie of Will Smith showing his younger side. It's just 5% of it's potential and possibilities are endless. Who knows future filmmakers could be like GAMERS playing characters and it automatically you know translates on a 3D theaters.. Anyway lot of myself blabbering all nonsense ideas i hold. https://youtu.be/k5y4kxhZIBA
All in all, its very few who can get hands on tech tools to play with, but I believe, as you were saying for Filmmakers and Writers keeping originality in their stories and more relevant to whats available to their own circles or hybrid kind is the possiblity.
My dear @Rohit Kumar and @Debbie Croysdale, I enjoyed reading your discussions. Thank you for the time and the thoughts you invested on this topic. I respect and value both your opinions and agree with your points, too. However, my post was not about certain countries being addressed as developing countries, nor was it about political identities, VFX in particular, or talents being associated with a particular geographic boundary. The more I read my post, the more convinced I become that I was pretty clear in what I was saying.
Dear @Debbie Croysdale, I also agree with you when you say that the supply of VFX to low-budget productions would only work if the script, cast, crew, performance, and story are already running well in unison. In fact, your comment complements what I am saying one way or another.
Dear @Rohit Kumar, to me, your first emotional comment took my post to an entirely different direction. Your post could have been a separate post about a totally different topic on its own. It was great and I also agree with most of the points you tried to make. But what you wrote could not have been a response/comment to my post.
VFX
I have a feeling that your definition of VFX is different than mine. Most people are under the impression that VFX always requires a huge amount of money? What is this VFX anyways? To me, Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) and Green Screen are VFX, so are Compositing and Motion Capture. They're all VFX, they're used according to the director's requirements and their prices vary. Most think of VFX as reserved for big blockbuster movies. But the subtlety involved can also make VFX suitable for edits in independent films as well.
My point is that producers in those X Countries are not willing to implement these technologies. Why? Because again, lack of education would result in them thinking that they must pay a huge sum for it. That's what my point is aside from life-saving properties VFX can have at times.
Let me bring 2 more unmentioned points that were never discussed in this topic:
1- What about those hopeful young students who study VFX for 4-5 years, hoping they'll implement their theoretical knowledge into action? VFX is an art form now. It's no longer a side tool only. It is being studied in universities. Today, this art has an independent personality, and small and large companies around the world have been exclusively engaged in this art. This field has included various specialists who have made this art and technique become teamwork and have its own director, producer, crew and different tendencies of this field can be taught in the scientific institutions around the world.
2- Let me make my point by asking you a question. Do you recognize Tom Cruise for his role in his (1996) Jerry Maguire more or for his 2018 Mission Impossible? I know the answer. Aren't we, all artists, regardless of our medium, genre, color of skin, culture, language, history, etc. all craving recognition? Both in our industry and public? Don't you think that a very talented artist from an X Country would rather be in a film with any genre and lots of VFX involved, or in a low-budget but powerful story? How will he/she get the recognition he/she crave faster & easier while performing his great art?
What I wrote in my post was my personal observations, as a film director, author, and screenwriter. At the end of the day, what I say does not change anything. Facts remain facts and statistics don't lie.
Ben Gilani I think what I explained completely missed to get to you or you completely rejected the ground realities of countries and how they scrutinize scripts, release films, ban them for many reasons of their own.
When you say, "They go to the cinema to see the unseen, They go to cinema to see movies with VFX, explosions, and homicide. They go to the cinema to see movies that challenge their imagination or at least create laughter for themselves and their companions."
Now who are they? People of countries or their political ecosystem right?
Read this article which talks about Iranian films going through those hurdles. https://observers.france24.com/en/20170818-iranian-director-reveals-what...
or this
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/trump-pressure-iran-toll-film-industr...and do you want any producers to invest on VFX for any scripts to go through these hurdles and eventually getting rejected?
Let me try to answer those two questions
1. When you say VFX educated technicians, we got to understand what it is applied for?
Films having Fantasy? Action? SciFi? Is it related to any novel which might touch upon people's beliefs too? You see many films are made just like a lip service for the society using these tools. SuperHero films are one such which though are good movies, but technically don't have any "powerful story" as those kind powerful films dwells in different subject matter.
But watch this video where Richard Dawkins visits an Islamic School Science Education in Leicester school, UK. And observe how they respond. The kids are taught to just consider the evolution theory as just any other belief system and reject it.
https://youtu.be/LbQv-YSA_rISee I'm not saying it's Islam only, in the original video, Richard covers other faiths, beliefs too in UK. Mind you, it's UK, I'm not even pointing at Iran or any Islamic countries.
Original video: https://youtu.be/etC6Q6wLUNs
Come to India, we have multiple religions and we filmmakers face this on regular basis with every movie we ever make against any religion, even science, legal irregularities or medical system and bring the VFX or any tools to cut the cost or give the needed reality perspective of the powerful story we want to tell..
Even American film industy holding the rich space, but have you seen any social driven films with VFX or any advanced tools used at full service to show a powerful movie? None. Very rare comes one in 3 4 years like "Saving Private Ryan". Like if I want to make American films on Colonialism or their mistake in Hiroshima Nagasaki or even destroying of any country for their own Neo-colonialist tactics I can use VFX every tech to make a powerful film, but will American Film Society allow it? I doubt. People today even talk about Imperialistic American politics , and no one can reject it, but have you seen anyone do what you called as "Powerful films".
Chomsky many times said like America and EU are the leading terrorist countries against humanity. Now dare any American or European filmmakers do any social driven films with equally impactful use of VFX. I doubt they ever will.
That's why I took that route to say it's not about Poor or Developing or Rich countries, or one holds VFX or educated to make big explore good films, even those who hold it can't make films authentic to their own ecosystem they are living in. As many can't digest or accept the flaws within oneself and the ecosystem they live in. That's the whole context I was trying to explain.
2. Most American and to a certain extent European films too since ages are quite bombastic, pompous in nature and it's a cultural thing. Even in India we have ton of such. That is so in every society to different levels with such education where it loves to just preset anything everything with a strong emphasis on presentation and marketing even though product can be "okish", but grandness covers the flaws too.
Now this, I'm not the only one saying it. I know every industry have that in their approach, but it's every American Sociologist, philosophers knows it, even American CEOs know it, Steve Jobs himself said it many times. You can see American loves Elony Musky, Tim cook, Billy Goots doing it full swing while 99% American population don't get it that they are exploiting them full swing.(Just for fun jibe) It's all about marketing though the product is just naah.
Here in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kib6uXQsxBA
Steve Jobs talks about Japanese approach to keep up with Quality and Services and explains why people in America pick American products as they are influenced by it's marketing and eventually endup understanding thatit's Japanese products and their services far superior than American ones . Note: I'm no Steve Job fan either. I better go for Steve Woz but yeah
Why I gave this example about product is in films Iranian, Japanese, even Russian, European films for ages have taken it's fair share of being the best films. American films goes in between there at times but most American films strongly push marketing, advertisement. Is it wrong? is a secondary thing.
So when you talk about Mission impossible or Iron man or say James Bond series, these films are high on Marketing Advertisement collaterals which morphs the core quality of the film. Initially when these projects begin they are good as it's fresh but eventually it becomes just a popcorn film. Even Oscars committee and films selected there have a scrutiny on which one is highest grossing along the lines of marketing, advertisements and how their committee needs to be pampered..
So do you want to risk the quality of Iranian films to sell mediocre badly made films like another lipservice to do a cultural appropriation to make money? Sure you can in any American studios too, many do it. But it will be difficult to sell in their own country and it won't last any longer.
Mind you even till today, Japan's Studio Ghibli films are far superior, highest quality rich films ever made than any from Pixar or any American or European studios films ever made. Studio Ghibli takes 2 to 3 years sometimes to make one film, while Pixar with all the modern tools would have released 3, 4 in these times. Ask any Animation experts they will agree to what I said.. Even similar is the case of Kdramas, ask any American do they like to see American Rom Coms or Soap serials or KDramas. Guess what they gave award "Parasite" for similar reasons too: mixed genre and uniqueness .
Now if you have read the above articles which I shared, do you think any entertainment studio from US or UK etc would be willing to invest on VFX or high end tools in any "Developing nation's" films risk to be released as well as get hurt unable to market to get returns? They don't even support their own filmmakers in their own country let alone going anywhere else. Why do you think so many American Europeans are in here.(Just kidding and saying)
And most important are "people" in every country willing to accept it with full potential of ART being used with the tools given for everyone's access. I don't thik so.
Hence, my earlier thoughts being shared just nicked those parameters, which I didn't wanted to say it, but you made me do it. So is why I shared what could be the right path for Developing nations or an nations to approach film making which requires less VFX or how to approach without tangling to any "Limiting beliefs". My earlier rant or now wasn't intended to hurt anyone, I'm just always passionate, curious and expressive as thoughts go full swing.
@Rohit Kumar My friend, all I can now tell you is that this is not a healthy mentality for an artist. Especially for a well-informed & educated filmmaker like yourself. I think you and I should talk about the comments you made in your last response. I will send you an email soon and we will discuss all these if you want. I may be able to change your view a bit. Also, you should know that I'm not a stranger to Indians and Indian movies. I literally grew up with Indian movies, the first one being SHOLA. My best friends have been and still are from India. Asha Bhosle is a friend of mine and I was with Amitabh Bachchan at Dubai's Planet Hollywood's grand opening back in 1998 and then in Sweden back in 2011. You can ask Geetanjali and Kamal K, director and actress of the film "ID" about me. Both our films were nominated back in Abu Dhabi International Film Festival 2012. We'll talk later.
Ben Gilani Be it mine or anyone's mindset is healthy or not has nothing to do with, "Why producers or studios aren't supporting or helping with VFX tools or teams who graduated in VFX or any Media Tech tools in any developing nations, isn't it?" Think about it?
I shared you the articles, reports which producers around the world are struggling to make film in Iran and many developing nations, why anyone of us should be compeletly rejecting it?
Even many old time filmmakers in India are complaining about Netflix, Amazon not funding their project. Netflix, Amazon and many big studios expect certain way of documented pitch, reports of financial expenditures, copyrighted script etc and if any filmmaker don't provide it, they won't fund it. It's just that simple. We can't be bitter about it, it's their money. We got to first understand the real cause of it, acknowledge the issues and than find a solution and than approach to fix the another problem isn't it. Rather then ducking the issues and than blaming people or world about it right.
Even @Sion said " Lot's of corruption in some countries too".. Yes I accept it too. In India we have lot of corruption and government is now handling it too by digitizing so many process. So if he comes to India wanting to produce a film with me and he says there is so much corruption within my team or people we are associating with, I got to fix it, isn't it. Or should I keep rejecting that and ask him or Debbie to help?
I do know about Iranians, even many people around the world having exposure to Indian cinema and viceversa.. Even Russians too had that influence during Soviet times, and we all Indians too had many world cinema influence adding to changes in how we make films.
And its good that you know about many people, been part of films in India or even associating with great singers, I truly respect that, but what that has to do with anything to what we discussed or explained?
Even I have meet many filmmakers, singers, SPB sir, many actors, why that some of top CEOs from India and world around, but that has nothing to do with the post. I have grown watching world cinema too, including not only Indian, Iranian and European, Japanese, Chinese, American all around too. We had multiple language films shown too. I have Iranian filmmaker friends too, but it has nothing to do with anything here.
I'm always speak objectively and to the point rather than beat around bushes. I can't help being myself as I'm always being blunt this way. So pardon me if you were expecting something else for this discussion. Hope you get your answers for whatever you are looking forward.
Everyone hates every other person in this world if we "truly" know them, it's up to us to know what we find "liking" in a person to be close with.
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Re @Ben Original question how can developing countries progress in VFX film making? Apart from studios and producers being seemingly reluctant to add VFX (in certain countries as you mentioned ) there is also the question of education in the first place. Courses in UK for VFX even for a short 12 week are several thousand pounds. Longer university type courses of one and two years much more, tens of thousands each year. Therefore it is highly likely that most artists in developing countries will not have funding to access these type of skills in the first place so more needs to be done politically to provide grants for further education. Another idea would be sponsorship for specialist tools within production companies to train "local" talented interns passionate for the art.
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@All Thread has got me thinking. At first I thought @Ben meant "Epoch" Non Reality visuals either Hi Action such as deserts blowing up etc or as in Sci Fi graphical robotics. However I've decided to experiment with the more "Subtle" ways to incorporate minor VFX into Hybrid Genre shorts. I'm already learning how to make i phone films not for my Pro portfolio but as respite to being alone for days in between Indie shoots out in Spain. Now I have more to work with cos there are i phone apps suitable for incorporation into my Fantasy/Romance and Sci Fi/Coming of Age script. A hobby so I don't end up 24/7 in tapas bars days when the set/crew have dispersed in my professional film but thinking of doing a short VFX course next year. Re my above post "Education," funds are needed to gain qualifications in the first place but there's also the question of "Time." Time and money are needed to gain Industry standard VFX . Going back to @Dan's thread topic, developing countries need to reach wider audiences with their films/film festivals for a bigger footing on world stage and find ways to gain international partnerships/funding. If politicians don't help with educational tools expanding a social media presence will. Or an out of the box idea, a film "VFX A Social Issue " may bring more cards to the table.
@Debbie Croysdale I like your ideas. 1- providing grants for further education 2- sponsorship 3- expanding a social media presence 4- expanding a social media presence 5- a film "VFX A Social Issue ". Now, these sound like solutions. I certainly hope to receive more from other colleagues. Good luck with your VFX, iPhone filming, and the Spain shoot.
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Ben Gilani. Playing Devil's Advocate here and asking if perhaps, the problem isn't the types of films they're making-As they're proving to be quite good at those. But your attitude towards them?
They're doing exceptionally well doing what they do-You yourself have said this. And who knows? MAYBE, they're looking to go in a different direction with their storytelling?
A direction that primarily isn't geared to cater to "the White gaze" as we BIPOC call it.
I mean, they're telling THEIR stories. Things that matter to THEM!
And surely, there is room in the Cinematic Universe to allow for that?